New Span of Bridge openes Saturday, September then closed after two hours when thruway engineers closed the new bridge due to fears that the remaining superstructure of the old bridge was unstable and could collapse on the newly opened structure, the thruway announced Saturday.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced paving is complete on the new Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge. The eastbound span of the bridge is scheduled to open this Saturday, September 8, weather permitting, with four lanes of Westchester-bound traffic being shifted to the new span in an overnight operation beginning Friday. Lane striping work is scheduled to begin tonight.

“As we put the finishing touches on the second span of the new Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, we are yet another step closer to completing one of New York’s largest modern infrastructure projects to date,” Governor Cuomo said. “With another accomplishment on the second span now complete, we look forward to opening up the new span to eastbound traffic this weekend.”

Governor Cuomo toured the eastbound span earlier this week with New York State Thruway Authority Acting Executive Director Matthew J. Driscoll and New NY Bridge Project Director Jamey Barbas. They updated the Governor on finishing touches being made to the new span and the on-going dismantling of the Tappan Zee Bridge.

Once the second span is open, eastbound motorists will have access to four general traffic lanes and emergency shoulders.

A dedicated bus lane will open this fall for eastbound traffic.

The fully completed project will include shoulders and dedicated bus lanes in each direction, and a bicycle and walking path. Newly released renderings of the path can be viewed; here.

Since last year’s initial traffic shift, where all New York State Thruway (I-87/I-287) traffic was temporarily shifted from the Tappan Zee Bridge onto the new bridge’s westbound span, design-builder Tappan Zee Constructors (TZC) has been dismantling the old bridge while also constructing the eastbound span.